I have many interests, so this is going to be a blog on lots of subjects. Submarines, my family, history, books I read, the space programme, archaeology, astronomy, current events, the occasional joke.... Just don't expect any politics, sports or deep philosophy, and we should get along fine.

01 January 2008

This day in history: 1 Jan

1515:Francois I became King of France on the death of his cousin (and father-in-law), Louis XII.

1651:Charles II, theoretically King of the United Kingdom since his father's death on 30 January 1649, was crowned King of Scots at Scone. He would not be crowned King of England and Ireland until 23 April 1661.

1801: The Act of Union, which had been passed on 2 July 1800, became effective, joining the Kingdom of Ireland to the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

1948:British Rail came into existence when the Big Four - the Great Western Railway (GWR), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) and the Southern Railway (SR) - were nationalised under the Transport Act of 1947.

1958: The European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) were established, in accordance with the Treaties of Rome of 1957.

1999: The euro was introduced for non-cash transactions within the European Union.

2002: Euro coins and banknotes became legal tender in twelve member states (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain) of the European Union.